Archive for Desserts: Cheesecake

Man, just when you think there is nothing better than cheesecake, you add chocolate! Mmmmm! This is an altered recipe of my Grandmothers. It was a huge hit at the shower last weekend. I hope you also enjoy!

Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake Bars

Makes 24 bars

What you'll need:

2 cups finely crushed oreos (or organic chocolate cookies)

3 tbsp butter, melted

3 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese, softened

1 (14 oz) can of Sweetened Condensed Milk

3 eggs

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

4 oz of chocolate, melted

What you’ll do:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Line a 13 X 9 baking pan with foil or wax paper. In a bowl, combine crumbs and butter and press firmly into the bottom of the pan.

In another bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy, gradually beat in the sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla and mix. Pour half of the batter evenly over the cookie crumbs.

Stir the melted chocolate into the remaining batter, mix well. Spoon over the plain batter and using a knife, swirl the batter to make a marble like design.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Cool then chill for a couple hours or overnight.

In an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, (or a bowl with hand mixer) beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add a pinch of salt. While the mixer is running, gradually pour in the vanilla and almond liqueur. Crack in the eggs 1 at a time. Add the sugar and then the mascarpone and beat until smooth.

Pour the mixture to a large heatproof (glass or metal) bowl. Set the bowl over saucepan partially filled with barely simmering water, but do not let the water touch the bottom of the bowl. (you are making a double boiler) Cook until the mixture reaches 170 degrees F on a candy thermometer. (you are killing the egg bacteria at 170 degrees) It takes about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir pretty often cause you don't want lumps to form. When the sauce reaches 170 degrees F, remove the bowl and place on the counter to cool. (careful of the steam!) Allow the mix to cool for about 20 minutes. Refrigerate a 2 hours or overnight.

Place the diced fruit in a bowl or wine glasses like I did if you want to be fancy. Dollop a nice amount of cheesecake mix on top and sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs or chocolate shavings, or both : ) Serve and Enjoy!!

Who doesn't love creamy, delicious, light, fluffy, cheesecake? No one right!? Here is a little creation layered with fresh blueberries! FYI since I used fresh blueberries I hear by declare this dessert healthy ; )

Actually, it's just the result of me craving cheesecake and making it up with what I had in my fridge! And of course I had to serve it in a wine glass. Don't you just love food served in a wine glass?

Cheesecake Parfait

Makes 2 large portions, or 4 smaller ones

What you'll need:

6 oz. cream cheese at room temperature

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tbsp. pure vanilla extract

a few small handfuls of fresh blueberries (you could really use any fresh fruit)

What you'll do:

In a bowl, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth and set aside. Whip the cream and vanilla until you have a nice whipped cream on the softer side. Pour the whipped cream into the cream cheese bowl and mix with a hand mixer until smooth.

Either eat with a spoon at this point, or layer the cheesecake mix with the fresh fruit in a bowl, ramekin or in this case a wine glass. Serve chilled.